Past Installments

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Past Installments

Made Men Ric says Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith’s most important acquisition was Bob McNair’s trust. (September 18, 2007)

King-A-Ling Ric’s crusade against lazy journalism locates new target to poke fun at. (September 14, 2007)

Sunday Believer The Texans’ opening day win very nearly induced a yawn from Ric. (September 10, 2007)

Happily Ever After…? Ric explores his seemingly mystical hold over the Texans’ franchise and, let’s be honest – writes the gayest article ever. (September 7, 2007)

Running with the Devil If black is really white, and Van Halen can mount a reunion tour… Ric wonders why the Texans can’t be playoff contenders? (September 4, 2007)

Givins to Fly Ric’s seen this rookie wide receiver bursting onto the scene before… (August 21, 2007)

What? Me Worry? Ric’s not going to let a meaningless preseason game get in the way of his bitching. (August 13, 2007)

Seeing Red Ric says the Texans have one last change to make. (August 2, 2007)

The Brat Pac Ric thinks the Texans may have added by someone else subtracting. (July 25, 2007)

Portfolio Investment At last, the Texans seem commited to a top pick. (July 16, 2007)

Justice Served Ric takes exception to a columnist’s intonation that the Saints were an effective measuring stick for the Texans this season. (January 20, 2007)

2006

On Notice Be careful what you wish for, Texan fans; no David Carr next year means we’re going to need some new whipping boys. (December 16, 2006)

Kubiak’s First Stand Four years and nine weeks of losing could be a thing of the past if Gary Kubiak and the Texans can man up over the next month. (November 17, 2006)

What a Bunch of Bushit Yes, it’s about Reggie Bush. Ric’s held his tongue long enough. (September 27, 2006)

Turn Around, Bright Side… Ric is stopping to smell the roses, specifically the performance of David Carr in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Colts. (September 21, 2006)

You the Manning Ric examines the various components that have made Peyton Manning – dare he say it – one of the all-time greats. (September 14, 2006)

Time out? Ric does think Reggie Bush would help, assuming Reggie Bush brought with him time for Gary Kubiak to do what he needs to do to rebuild this franchise. (September 12, 2006)

What to Do, What to Do… Ric examines the conundrum Gary Kubiak has created for himself in his first year with the Texans. (August 25, 2006)

Apocalypse Now? Poor Mario Williams. Ric fears he’ll soon be joining David Carr as the latest top pick the team’s set up to fail. (May 1, 2006)

Man Up It appears the Texans have at last cashed in their man card when they hired Gary Kubiak, who is already proving to be overflowing with fortitude in the lower region. (April 27, 2006)

Mouldsing A Winner For the first time in a long time, the Texans finally seem interested in being respectable. (April 3, 2006)

A Ride on McKinney Avenue Texan O-lineman, and official glutton for punishment, Steve McKinney, is back for more frivolous Q&A with Ric. (January 17, 2006)

Blowing Their Own Horn OK, Ric gets it – Vince Young is really, really, really good. Now pipe down, Longhorn fans, so the Texans can make the right choice. (January 13, 2006)

How Now Brown Cow? Dom Capers took the fall on Monday, but it left Ric asking, “Is that it?! Are you kidding me? Seriously?” (January 4, 2006)

2005

The Push for Bush Ric tips his caps to the Texans’ risky, but ultimately gutsy decision to win a game and buy themselves some credibility before they finish off this tank of a season. (December 21, 2005)

All Apologies Without excusing the Texans, Ric saw some baby steps taken in Sunday’s loss to the Rams. (November 30, 2005)

At Least We Have Next Year Having already thrown dirt on the Texans’ 2005 season, Ric looks ahead to three things looming for 2006. (November 24, 2005)

Carr Bomb? Ric thinks the Texans need to decide now if David Carr is the franchise’s brightest star. And there’s only one way to find out for sure. (October 4, 2005)

Sorry Charley Ric takes a look back at the Texans’ first four drafts and sees a common thread running through their awfulness. (September 22, 2005)

The Next Step Outing Chris Palmer was a step in the right direction; Ric advises the Texans pick up the pace in their next needed moves on the road to respectability. (September 19, 2005)

The End of an Error? Four years and roughly 1,267 sacks later, have the Texans FUBAR’ed the franchise’s cornerstone? (September 16, 2005)

Losing My Faith Ric wonders if he has reached the end of the rope with this initial era of the Texans. (September 8, 2005)

Walking the Talk Ric struggles to make some sense of what the Texans were trying to accomplish this offseason and sets the clock ticking on the men who put the team together. (June 22, 2005)

Dall-Ass Kicking The Rockets have wakened Ric from his self-induced haze and fired up the ol’ reliable: his hatred of Dallas. (April 27, 2005)

2004

It’s Miller’s Time After being rediscovered Sunday, Ric hopes Billy Miller doesn’t fade back into obscurity. (December 3, 2004)

Battered, Not Broken In his best Jim Mora, Ric asks, “Playoffs?! PLAYOFFS?!”(November 18, 2004)

Tenacious D Ric casts his vote for the team’s MVP thus far, and no, it’s not David Carr. (November 2, 2004)

They’re (No Longer) Here Ric says the ghosts of Houston’s past were officially put to rest this past weekend. (October 20, 2004)

Hurt in the ‘Nick of Time? Ric wonders if Domanick Davis’ bum ankle might just inexplicably save the Texans’ season. On an unrelated note, yes, Ric is off the wagon again. (September 27, 2004)

Paper Thin The Texans’ 2004 season looks great – on paper. Ric wonders why things aren’t clicking on the field of play. (September 24, 2004)

Bottoms Up! Fresh from a weekend bender in New F’ing Orleans, Ric thinks losing to the Bolts was a good thing, but maybe that’s the sauce talking. (September 16, 2004)

Setting a New Curve Ric fires spitwads at the Panthers for making the Texans’ road to the Super Bowl appear much easier than it should. (January 29, 2004)

2003

Banks for the Memories Ric’s makin’ a list, checking it twice, gonna find who’s been a better back-up than Tony Banks. (November 6, 2003)

Palmer Pilot Ric says execution, not Chris Palmer, are what’s holding the Texans back. (October 27, 2003)

Give Me a D… With Domanick Davis’ emergence, the Texans seem to be set on offense. Defense, however, is another story… (October 24, 2003)

We Are the Texans Who Say “Win!” After the Jag win, Ric thinks it’s time for the Texans to raise their expectations. (October 10, 2003)

A Tale of Two Davids Ric takes a less than hopeful look back at another Houston passing icon named David (September 25, 2003)

Turning the Corner Despite the final score, Ric thinks the Texans made progress in New Orleans. (September 18, 2003)

Miami Nice Not suprisingly, the Cowboys fail to measure up in Ric’s eyes. (september 10, 2003)

The Latest Skinny on Steve McKinney Ric renews an old friendship by once again going mano-y-mano with Texans center Steve McKinney (March 18, 2003)

The Super Bowl – 20 Burning Questions Ric “questions” the NFL’s big event. (January 28, 2003)

Can’t Hardly Wait Appetite whet, Ric ponders 19 things that loom on the Texans’ horizon. (January 3, 2003)

2002

Draft This! Ric wonders why everyone’s not as giddy about the Texans as he seems to be. (December 13, 2002)

The Future Is Yao Forget the Colts, Jaguars and Titans — Ric thinks the Texans’ biggest competition might be in their own backyard. (November 22, 2002)

The Texans’ Jam Ric goes grunge on the Texans’ inaugural first half. (November 5, 2002)

Distant Replay Worried it might impact the Texans, Ric bitches about the way the networks unfairly cover the games. (October 31, 2002)

Losing Made Fun If we’ve got a dozen or so to go, Ric wouldn’t mind the Texans losing like they did Sunday to the Eagles. (October 3, 2002)

That’s the Ticket Convinced he’d never love again after the Oilers’ departure, Ric finds himself some rebound lovin’. (September 10, 2002)

Is It In The… Oh, Never Mind Too cool for school Ric takes a look at the Madden 2003 Houston Texans. (August 26, 2002)

Dear Diary Ric welcomes football back to Houston by keeping a running diary of the night’s proceedings. (August 5, 2002)

Taking Their Knocks As HBO’s NFL training camp series Hard Knocks returns, Ric wonders why the Texans are on its sidelines. (July 31, 2002)

Losing At All Costs Ric examines the Texans’ biggest key this summer. (July 22, 2002)

The NFL Draft – 20 Burning Questions Ric “questions” the weekend’s festivities. (April 24, 2002)

Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys… Ric sits down and grills his new “friend,” Texan center Steve McKinney. (April 11, 2002)

Expanding My Fandom Ric tackles the Texans’ expansion draft and emerges with a nagging, less-than-fresh feeling. (February 19, 2002)

Winning Mayhem Ric takes a break from question-asking to take in TNT’s Monday Night Mayhem. (January 15, 2002)

Week Whatever: 20 Burning Questions Ric went bowling last week, and officially became the 1,000th writer to incorporate a play on the word “bowling” into his column on bowl week. Yea! He also asks 20 new scintillating questions. (January 3, 2002)

2001

Week 11: 20 Burning Questions Ric spent his holiday weekend revamping Monday Night Football‘s schedule, wondering whatever happened to Rico Suave himself, Gerardo and, of course, asking 20 burning questions about week 10 of the NFL season. (November 29, 2001)

Week 9: 20 Burning Questions Ryan Leaf and Michael Vick on the same field? Ric takes a look at the NFL’s version of Must See TV, and then asks 20 pertinent questions about week 9 of the NFL season. (November 15, 2001)

Week 8: 20 Burning Questions Ric’s back with more questions, and has the Cowboys to thank for the wealth of his material. (November 7, 2001)

Week 7: 20 Burning Questions Ric gets restless and winds up giving birth to what he hopes will be a weekly look back at the most recent weekend of NFL action. (October 30, 2001)

Say It Isn’t Bledsoe… ESPN columnist Bill Simmons planted a seed that Ric watered and nurtured until a column finally blossomed. (October 25, 2001)

The NFL Isn’t the Answer Ric responds to Tuesday’s national tragedies, and find no solace in staging sporting events. (September 12, 2001)

Monday Night Musings With nothing better to do, Ric takes in ABC’s first Monday Night Football broadcast of the year and gives a blow by blow of what he saw. (August 7, 2001)

Will the Texans Gather Moss? Randy Moss a Texan? No way, says Ric, who examines the hurdles Bob McNair faces as we inch closer to 2002. (May 23, 2001)

Southern Comfort While others are busy wondering if Houston will ever win a game in it’s new division, Ric attempts to find the silver lining. (May 23, 2001)

Random Gunfire Ric tackles a variety of topics, including the Texans’ hiring of Dom Capers. (February 7, 2001)

Laces Out! Ever wondered what Ian Howfield is up to? Neither did Ric, but he found out and then some recently. (January 22, 2001)

2000

Hot Air From a Hurricane? You might want to use a pencil when scratching Butch Davis’ name off the Texans’ wish list. (November 30, 2000)

Hail to the (Ex)Chief Ric thinks he knows who will fill Houston’s coaching vacancy, and hopes to spur debate that has nothing to do with uniforms. (August 22, 2000)

Moon Over Canton? Warren Moon redefined the black athlete and helped relight Houston pro football’s fire, yet never seems to get the credit he deserves. (June 25, 2000)

Throwing Darts… “With the first pick in the 2000 Draft, Houston selects…” Wait a second — 2000? Ric revels in the possibilities. (April 16, 2000)

Center of Attention Ric sucks it up, makes a move, and lives to tell about the Harris County Stadium groundbreaking. (March 9, 2000)

From the Bottom of My Heart… On this occasion, Ric comes not to bury Bud Adams and company, but to praise them. (February 1, 2000)

Déjà Vu All Over Again The Titans are no longer the Oilers, but that won’t stop the networks from reliving our greatest collapse. (January 3, 2000)

1999

Needle in a Haystack What’s the easiest way to get a franchise off to a horrible start? Ric says it’s to draft a quarterback. (November 22, 1999)

Who’ll Buy My Memories? While embracing football’s return to Houston, Ric also laments the piece of history we’ve all lost. (November 15, 1999)

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